Tag Archives: coaches favorite moments

Dallas Fort Worth 3-Day Coaches’ Favorite Memories

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You already know coaches Gayla, Liz and Val from your Dallas Fort Worth 3-Day team. They are the group who are so ready for all our walkers and crew to begin their 60-mile journey this weekend. And they will be welcoming everyone with smiling faces and pink-clad open arms!

As you get your final preparations done this week, they’re here to give you even more to be excited about. From favorite spots on the route, to their most prized memories together, to their top pump-up jams the coaches are sharing their personal 3-Day highlights.

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What are your favorite memories of the 3-Days past?

Coach Val: I’ve built some amazing relationships with my crew members over the years and seeing them each year make the entire event feel like one big wild and crazy family reunion. The year I got duct taped to a gator by our crew and youth corps (as a reward for fundraising) will always stand out as a fun year.

Coach Gayla: My favorite memories of my past 3-Day events have been on the TaTa Towing Sweep Crew with my mom (for three years) and with my daughter (for two years).

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What are your favorite memories of your fellow coaches?

Coach Gayla: I look forward to every November because Liz will always fly from Arizona to Dallas a week early to work/play with Val and I. Last year we registered and participated in the MS Muckfest together with some friends/co-workers. It was a hilarious and filthy good time!

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What are your favorite spots on the route?

Coach Liz: I love Vitruvian Park and the Cattle stampede in downtown Dallas

Coach Gayla: My favorite spots on the route are Day 1 after pit stop 1, walking by Aldridge Elementary School students first thing in the morning. They are SO excited to see us! Day 2 I like Vitruvian Park where the last public cheering station is before we enter camp. It’s beautiful and people love to gather there. Day 3 has to be either Curtis Park or Lakeside Park in Dallas.

Coach Val: Much of the route travels through the area in which I grew up. I used to spend my Friday nights as a teenager at Collin Creek Mall and I went to college at Brookhaven, so you could say the whole route is my favorite. But, I truly love Day 3. I never realized how amazing downtown Dallas could be until I did a route drive (via bicycle) with Gayla one year. Ever since then, Day 3 has been my favorite. And this year I’m so excited for our new Closing Ceremony site!

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What are your favorite spots in DFW to eat, play?

Coach Liz: Well since I live in Arizona, when I come to Dallas, it is all about where to eat.  One of my favorites is a small family owned Italian place called Eddie’s Napolis in Frisco. But there is also Ida Claire’s, The Truck Yard, and Fuzzy’s Taco’s

Coach Gayla: Living in Frisco, just north of Dallas, there are so many things to do! The Dallas Cowboys Headquarters at Ford Center is a cool place to visit, Cowboys Fit to work out, restaurants at The Star, and so much more. Also, Legacy West in Plano has all kinds of new things. The Legacy Food Hall should be opening the weekend before the 3-Day, so I’m chomping at the bit!

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Coach Val: In Dallas, I LOVE Jorge’s Tex Mex Café. They have some of the best tortilla soup and their location in the Arts District is a perfect spot to grab a bite before or after a show at the Winspear Opera House, the Wyly Theatre or the Moody Performance Hall. I love musical theatre and the Arts District is one of my favorite areas to spend the day. Theatre, good food, museums, an over-the-freeway park, what’s not to love?

Living in Denton (North of Dallas) is lots of fun. I enjoy spending time on the Square and eating a fantastic burger at LSA before heading over to the Oak St. Drafthouse for a tasty adult beverage.

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What are your favorite pump-up songs?

Coach Val: My go-to get out of bed or get moving when exercising song is “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas. Really, anything by them counts as a great walking song! I also like anything by P!nk.

Coach Gayla: I love…

That’s What I Like and 24K Magic – Bruno Mars

Bicycle Race and Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

Can’t Stop the Feeling and SexyBack – Justin Timberlake

Atlanta Coaches’ 3-Day Highlights

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You already know coaches Karen, Libby and Susan from your Atlanta 3-Day team. They are the group who have been (im)patiently waiting for our walkers and crew to begin their 60-mile journey this weekend. And they will be welcoming everyone with open arms!

As you get your final preparations, training and packing done this week, they’re giving you more to get excited about. From favorite spots on the route, to their most prized memories, to their “must-visit” Atlanta spots, the coaches are sharing their personal 3-Day highlights.

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Coach Susan

Favorite memories of 3-Days past

Coach Susan: Walking in the pouring, freezing rain in Atlanta in 2008! Plus, working with Youth Corps for 2 years! And of course, all the laughing…so much laughing. More than the moments, it’s the community that I look at with gratitude and fondness. I’m grateful that I can be a part of something that brings out the best that humans have to offer.

Coach Libby: I have lots of favorites over the years but seeing friends and family connect with participants at the Closing Ceremony gets me every time.

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Coach Libby

Favorite parts of the 3-Day this year

Coach Karen: I am looking forward to reconnecting with walkers who I haven’t seen in a few years. It will be great to get a big hug and catch up! Then, on the route, I love Virginia Highland. I lived there when my kids were little and it is such a fun, diverse and creative place to live.

Coach Susan: I love the areas around Decatur and Emory on Day One, the beautiful Buckhead homes on Day Two, and I love the Vinings area on Day Three. I’m also looking forward to a new Closing Ceremony site along with a new Day Three route! Everyone, including 20-mile walkers will get to enjoy our all new Day 3 route this year! We’ll be walking through parts of Atlanta that we haven’t been through on the 3-Day before.

Coach Libby: This year we are walking through Vinings and I am excited to see what walkers think out such a cute area of Atlanta! I also love the new route and closing at SunTrust Park – Go Braves!

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Not-to-miss Atlanta spots

Coach Susan: I love the Atlanta Beltline! We are big baseball fans in our family, and the new stadium is great (Go Braves!). I love eating at some of the unique Atlanta places. Table & Main in Downtown Roswell is one of our favorites!

Coach Karen: I love to eat, and my favorites right now are Miller Union, The Optimist and Bacchanalia. For local favorites, I love Mac Magee in Roswell and Murphy’s in Virginia Highland.

What are looking forward to most on the Atlanta 3-Day? Tell us in the comments!

Meet Your Seattle Coaches

The Seattle 3-Day is this weekend, and our coaches can’t wait to welcome all the walkers to their hometown! Some of the Seattle team have been with the 3-Day for a while, but there are also some new faces. It’s the perfect time to get to know all your coaches better!

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Coach Jen Haber and Crew & Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Klotz are heading up your Seattle team, and these two are quite the dynamic duo!

Jen has been involved with the 3-Day in various roles since 2000, when she walked her first event. Kathleen joined the 3-Day team just after she graduated college, and has been a part of the family ever since.

They are excited to continue their tradition of passion this year, and can’t wait to welcome all the walkers, crew and supporters to the Seattle route!

Jen says she especially loves “seeing everyone bright and early at Opening Ceremony! I love seeing the Space Needle lit up before dawn!”

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Kathleen has other favorite spots along the route.

“I really love the pit stops, especially when the crews take their time to make it their own. Each one is always a little different and I really think that helps the walkers to look forward to the next stop on the route. Plus, snacks!”

If you need some motivation after the Opening Ceremony or in between pit stops, Jen and Kathleen have you covered there, too. Here are their favorite walking songs to put some pep in your step this weekend! Jen loves “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi and Kathleen can’t get “Thunder” by Imagine Dragons out of her head.

That love of music makes sense, given that Jen says Kathleen “is an incredible lip-syncer” as well as a dedicated coach.

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Kathleen also sings the praises of her fellow coach.

“Jen Haber is such a wonderful asset to the Seattle 3-Day. She always has the right answers and is really on top of communication. She has a heart for this event and it shows in so many ways.”

Though Jen lives in the San Diego area, she has lots of heart for Seattle, saying that she loves all the shops and cafes along the water the West Seattle neighborhood, in Alki Beach. She also would love to be able to fly so she can spend time “visiting the highest point in any city that I visit. I MUST go to the top of the Space Needle at some point this weekend!”

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That high climb is also on Kathleen’s “must-do” list for this weekend, along with giving all of the walkers a very warm welcome!

“We have such a great group of participants in Seattle. I am constantly looking for ways to keep them happy and wanting to come back for more! Please don’t hesitate to come find me to say hi, or share a hug! (I love hugs). I want to get to know as many participants as possible!”

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A new face you’ll see on the route is Coach Heather Snyder, who is joining us from Michigan to assist Coaches Jen and Kathleen. She is very excited to be heading to the West Coast for the weekend!

“Thank you to the Seattle 3-Day community. Not only do I get the opportunity to visit your beautiful city and share in your amazing 3-Day experience, I get to do it up close and personal! Being on event at Opening and Closing Ceremonies, meeting participants and crew on the route, and interacting with them extensively at camp is one of the best parts of my job! While I may not be your local coach, I am thrilled to be coming to Seattle and meeting you. After all, we are truly one big pink community from the coast to coast!”

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Heather has been passionate about the 3-Day cause for some time, and says the 3-Day was “always something I wanted to do. Then, in the February of 2015, when a friend formed a team, I jumped on board. I started training ASAP and fundraising PDQ (that’s ‘Pretty Darn Quick’). I’m so glad I did! I completed all 60 miles with no injuries and raised $4500. After that, I was hooked!”

Other things to know about Heather is that has Fiji and a future birthday spent in Italy on her “must-visit” global destination and she recommends “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit for your walking playlist. If you see Coach Heather on the route, be sure to give her a great big Seattle welcome!

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